Machine for hardening and tempering wire



C. D. JOHNSON.

MACHINE FOR HARDENING AND TEMPERING WIRE.

APPLZCATION FlLED JUNE 12, 1920.

1,409,452, Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

CHARLES D. JOHNSON, OF, WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR HARDENING- AND TEMPERING WIRE.

Application filed June 12,

' with the wire-drawing operation, thus economizingyery materially intime and space and also in labor.

The invention also involves other objects, including an improved way ofintroducing wire from a flame heating zone into an oil bath in such away that it need not be exposed to the air so that bright wire may bemade; improvements in the heating mechanism by which the heat can begradually increased as the wire passes along so that it will be at itsmaximum temperature when it enters the oil bath; the construction of theapparatus in such a way that the flame heating zone and the oil bath canbe moved close enough to produce bright wire or separated suflicientlyto produce black wire; also certain improvements in the way ofsupporting the s'everal parts of the hardening and tempering apparatus.Some features of the invention are capable of application to both thehardening and tempering, or to either.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyin drawings, in whichig. 1 is aplan of a wire-drawing machine with a hardening and tempering attachmentapplied thereto for continuous operation in accordance with thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the hardening and tempering apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central sectional view of a portion of thehardening apparatus on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a plan of the gas burner there-- for;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of Fig. 1, enlarged;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 of Flg. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 1.

The invention can be applied to any type on the line 5-5 Specificationof Letters Patent.

the end of the Patented. Mar. 14, 1922.

1920. Serial No. 388,620,

of continuous wire-drawing apparatus D, and I have not shown the detailsthereof but merely illustrated a well known type. This delivers the wireW ordinarily to a drum, but in this case, a carrier 11 is substitutedwhich receives the wire. It passes around it and on a friction roll 12,adapted to put friction on the wire and provided with a spring 13 forthat purpose. This is formed of twodiscs 14, pressed together by thespring and exerting enough friction to keep the wire taut.

From the roll 12 the wire W is delivered to the hardening apparatus H,which I have shown as'comprising a gas pipe 16. This is provided with afiat top having jet perforations therethrough for the gas and these arearranged in two or more series. In the first series 17, the perforationsare arranged in such a manner as to afford a comparatively small numberand therefore furnish a restricted gas flow toward the wire. In thesecond series at 18, the number of perforations for a given unit oflength is increased. I have shown this as being accomplished by adding asingle perforation to every section of eight. In the third series, 19 asshown, the number is increased by having four rows of perforationsinstead of three, the longitudinal distances being shown as the same,although this is not essential. The'essential feature is that the totalvolume of gas flowing from all the jets shall be increased from onezoneto the other so that the maximum heat will be applied at the pointwhere the wire leaves the region of influence of these flames. I preferto employ pilot burners 15 for lighting the jets.

For the purpose of throwing the flames against the Wire afterit passesbeyond the end of the pipe 16, another series of perforations 20 areshown in an inclined surfaceat the top and end of the pipe. In this way,the wire W is continuously within the influence of the flame until itpasses beyond pipe and the heat is increased as stated.

This pipe is supported from a table 21, mounted on the frame 10 of thewire-drawing machine. The pipe is carried by supports 22 which haveslotted bases and are held down by screws. These supports clasp the pipebetweenthem and positively support the pipe. The reason for the slottingof the bases is that when it is desired to adjust the pipelongitudinally, one of over the studs 32.

these of each pair can be loosened and the pipe moved along in eitherdirection, and then tightened up again and held there. This is renderedpossible by a flexible connection 24, which connects the end of the gaspipe with the gas supply pipe 25. The air pipe 26 which supplies air tothe gas for admixture therewith to increase the combustion, is alsoconnected by a flexible connection 27 with the air supply pipe 28. Iprefer to provide the gas and air supply pipes with any known form ofpressure governor 29 to keep the pressure constant independently ofother conditions.

As the wire passes over the gas pipe 16, it is guided by a series ofplates 30, each having a slot 31 centrally arranged therein. Each isprovided with studs 32 and a binder 33 which has a binding screw 34engaging the bottom of the ipe, its ends extending n this way, the wireis guided straight andhorizontally through the machine into a slot at 35in the end of the oil bath tank 36. This tank is constantly suppliedwith oil through a feeder 37 and the oil flows out through the slot 35and also over the sides and ends of the tank into a receiving tank 38below into which it is discharged and from which it is pumped backagain.

With the parts in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the flamesfrom the gas pipe remain incontact with the wire W until it enters theflowing oil. As is well known, oil is used which has a high flashpointand flowing at the speed from which it issues from the tank 36, it willnot be ignited by such a flame. Consequently, I can bring the flame intodirect contact with the oil while the wire is within the influence ofboth and prevent oxidation of the wire, so as to produce a bright wire.If, however, I desire to produce a black wire, I simply loosen thesupports 22 on one side and move the pipe 16 back to the positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Then the wire will pass out of thedirect influence of the gas jets before it enters the oil and willbecome oxidized and black. Thus, on the same machine, I can produceeither bright or black Wire at will with very little trouble and with avery rough adjustment.

The tank 38 is provided with a metal holder 40 at the end, which carriesa post 41 on which is mounted a plate 42 and a pressure screw 43.Between the parts 40 and 42, a wiper 44 is mounted. This is made in twoparts through which the wire W can pass and any desired amount ofpressure can be applied to it.

After the wire passes out of the bath 36, and is given its hardenedcondition, it

can be tempered by passing through a tempering device T. This involves agas burner scription of it is necessary. Wire passes from it through theWiper 47 to a tension roll 48 and is wound therefrom on a drum 49 Ordisposed of in any other desired way.

From this it will be seen that a continuous wire-drawing, hardening andtempering process is possible and I have found in practice that a veryhigh grade of wire, even off-the finest sizes, can be produced by itwith obvious economies in operation and equipment.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of theinvention and shown the parts in only one way, I am aware of the factthat modifications can be made in both Without departing from the scopeof the invention as expressed in the claims.

Therefore I do not wish to be limited to all the details of constructionor to the specific arrangement of parts shown and described, but what Ido claim is l. The combination with a machine for the continuous drawingof Wire, of a carrier for continuously receiving the wire therefrom, aframe mounted adjacent to said' wire-drawing machine, a winding block atthe opposite 'endof said, frame for continuously moving the Wire alongthe frame toward the rear, andmeans mounted along said frame forcontinuously hardening or tempering the wire delivered from said carrierWhile on its way to said block.

2. The combination with a machine for the continuous drawing of wire,ofa carrier for continuously receiving the wire therefrom, a frictionguide roller for receiving the wire from the carrier and applyingfriction thereto to retard it and pass it along continuously, a framesupported on the side of said wire-drawing machine, a windingblock atthe opposite end of said frame for taking the wire from said frictionroller and continuously moving it along the frame toward the rear, andmeans mounted along said frame for continuously hardening and temperingthe wire delivered from said frictionroller while on its way to saidblock.

3. The combination with -a continuousreceiving end of said wire-drawingmachine adapted to receive the wire directly from said hardening device,and a block located at the end of said support, adjacent to thereceiving end of the wire-drawing machine,

for pulling the wire through the hardening and tempering apparatus.

4. The combination with a continuous wire-drawing machine, of a framesupported along the side thereof, a hardening device on said frame nearthe delivery end of the wire-drawing 'machine and delivering the wiretherefrom in the opposite direction, a tempering device on said framenear the receiving end of said wire-drawing machine located in alignmentwith the hardening apparatus and adapted to receive the wire directlytherefrom, a block located at the end of said support adjacent to thereceiving end of the wire-drawing machine for pulling the wire throughthe hardening and tempering apparatus, and means for guiding the wirefrom the wire-drawing machine to the 0 posite end of the hardeningapparatus (firectly.

5. In a machine for heating wire for hardening or tempering purposes,the combination of a burner, and an oil bath provided with a slit in thereceiving end for the wire and being arranged to deliver a current ofoil through said slit directly toward the burner, said burner beingarranged to direct its flame against the w1re all the wayto the point atwhich the wire enters the current of oil to produce bright wire.

6. In a machine for hardening or tempering wire, the combination of aburner, an oil bath, said oil bath being provided with a slit in thereceiving end for the wire and being arranged to deliver a current ofoil through said slit directly toward the burner with the wire immersedtherein, said burner being arranged to direct its flame against the wireall the way to the point at which the wire enters the current of oil toproduce bright wire, and means below the oil bath for receiving theoverflow therefrom through said slit and over its sides and'ends.

7 In a machine for heating wire for hardening or tempering purposes, thecombination with .a burner and an oil bath provided with a slit in thereceiving end for the wire and being arranged to deliver a current ofoil through said slit directly toward the burner, said burner beingarranged to direct its flame against the wire all the way to the pointat which the wire enters the current of oil, the distance between saidburner and oil bath being adjustable to pertherefrom, the distancebetween said burner and 011 bath being adjustable to permit the wire topass through the air after it leaves the flame and before it enters theoil to produce black wire or to, pass directly into the oil from theflame to produce bright wire.

9. In an apparatus for heating wire to harden or temper it, thecombination with a liquid bath, of means for preliminarily heating thewire before 'it enters the bath comprising a burner provided with aheating surface having perforations therethrough constituting jets, thejets being arranged closer together at the end of the burner toward thebath than at the opposite end, and means for moving the wire along saidburner into the bath.

10. In a machine for heating wire for hardening or tempering purposes,the combination with a burner and a bath, said burner being arranged todirect its flame against the wire, the distance between said wire beforeit enters the oil bath comprising a gas burner having means foradmitting gas and .air and provided with a heating surface havingperforations therethrough constituting jets, the jets being arrangedcloser together at the end of the burner toward/the oil bath than at theopposite end, and means for moving the wire along said burner into theoil bathbelow its surface.

12. In a hardening or tempering appara tus for wire, the combinationwith a bath, of means for preliminarily heating the w1re be fore itenters the bath' comprising a gas burner having means for admitting gasand air and provided with a heating surface having perforationstherethrough constituting jets, the jets being arranged closer togetherat the end of the burner toward the bath than at the opposite end, meansfor moving the wire along said burner into the bath, and means forautomatically regulating the pressure of the gas and air admitted tosaid burner.

18. In a device for heating, wire for hardening or tempering purposes,the comb nation of a hollow burner having jet openings in one surfaceand provided with means for introducin air and gas, supports for saidburner, sai supports being movable to perm it of the adjustment of saidburner longitudinally and the clamping of the same in its adjustedposition, a tank for an oil bath having a slit 1n its end for receivingthe wire located in position for the level of the oil to be above thebottom of said slit, the burner having jet openings for directing theflame against the wire up to the point at which, it enters the slit inthe tank, and a wiper located at the discharge end of the tank for,removing excess oil. 1

14. In a device for heating wire for hardening. or tempering purposes,the com bination of a burner having jet openings, supports for saidburner, said supports being movable sidewise to permit of the adjustmentof said burner longitudinally and the clamping of the same in itsadjusted position, a series of wire guide plates carried by said burner,clamping means for clamping said plates to the burner, said guideshaving slits therein for the wire,

said slits being located substantially cen-- 'of said slit, the burnerhaving jet openings for directing the flame against the wire, and awiper located at the discharge end of the tank for removing eit'cessoil.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

CHARLES D. JOHNSON.

